1. Field of the Invention
Throttle devices, which include an aluminum housing, are used in the intake sections of modern internal combustion engines. Depending on the type of engine in which the throttle device is used, a corresponding variant of a throttle device is required, for which a separate diecasting mold must consequently be produced.
The essential variations of the individual throttle devices are the flange pattern, the throttle valve diameter, and the connection geometry in the intake section oriented toward the air filter. Besides these, additional requirements for the throttle device can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so that separate connection fittings on the housing of the throttle device must be designed and provided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
DE 43 29 522 A1 relates to a throttle device which includes a housing, a throttle valve control unit, a position sensor, and a throttle valve fastened to a throttle valve shaft. The throttle device is disposed between the clean-side air filter connection and the intake apparatus of the internal combustion engine. The air filter connection and/or the intake apparatus are comprised of a plastic material; the individual elements of the throttle device are designed as modules, which can be plugged, screwed, or clamped together. The housing and throttle valve can be made of plastic; the throttle valve shaft in particular is embodied in two parts: the first shaft half supports the module for the position sensor and the other half supports the module for the throttle valve actuating unit.
The subject of DE 195 25 510 A1 is a throttle valve actuating unit provided with a throttle valve fastened to a throttle valve shaft that is supported so that it can rotate in a throttle valve assembly. A servomotor is provided to actuate the throttle valve shaft and has at least one slider and at least one potentiometer track for detecting an actuated position of the throttle valve shaft and an electrical connection to which the servomotor and the potentiometer are connected in a connecting chamber. Furthermore, this disconnecting chamber is closed by a cover. The at least one potentiometer track is affixed to the cover; a coupling part that is part of the electrical connection is formed onto the cover. The cover is also provided with at least one motor plug contact that electrically contacts a mated motor plug contact connected to the servomotor when the cover is mounted onto the throttle valve assembly.
DE 29 49 041 B1 relates to a heating unit for mixture preparation in mixture producers. Between a main throttle element and a fuel supply device, an annular hot water chamber embodied in the form of a heat-exchanging double wall is disposed inside the tube wall, over a part of its longitudinal span. This hot water chamber has a water inlet fitting at one end and a water outlet fitting at the other end. The heat exchanger is connected to a cooling water circuit by means of a thermally controlled emergency valve, which opens once higher temperatures are reached. The inner wall of the heat exchanger adjoining the main flow path of the mixture producer is comprised of an electric heating resistance material and is electrically connected to a voltage source by means of an electric switch element that is thermally controlled as a function of the cooling water temperature and opens once a particular higher water temperature has been reached.
Finally, WO 95/02493 (EP 0 668 816 B1) has disclosed a molded body comprised of plastic. This molded body is produced as a throttle valve housing, in particular by means of an injection molding process. It includes a wall, which adjoins a cavity with an inner wall surface. The wall contains at least one insert piece covered by plastic material in the inner wall surface oriented toward the cavity. The insert piece is tilted at an inclination angle in relation to a normal plane aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The inclination angle of the insert piece in relation to the normal plane is between 4° and 8°. The insert piece is formed out of metal, in particular a shaped piece of sheet metal. This piece of sheet metal has an upper sheet plane and a lower sheet plane and at least one section is bent out from one of the sheet planes. The insert piece can be provided with deformations, in particular with openings that pass through it.
The embodiments from the prior art cited above all have the disadvantage that they must always be precisely designed for a particular type of internal combustion engine and therefore can only be used in this type of engine.